UK: RFA Fort Victoria Conducts Ceremony to Mark Loss of Titanic

RFA Fort Victoria conducted a ceremony to mark the loss of the Titanic while working with the Combined Task Force in the Gulf of Aden.

At sunset a moment of silence was held to remember the 1,517 lives lost, which took place 100 years ago to the day.

The event was attended by the Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, Rear Admiral Tanin Likitawong, Royal Thai Navy, with the officers of Fort Victoria and the multinational Staff of CTF 151.

“This event was particularly poignant for the officers of Fort Victoria,” said Third Officer Niall Gordon. “Our roots are firmly in the Merchant Navy and Fort Victoria was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, the same shipbuilder who constructed the Titanic.”

Many of the improvements in maritime safety which came out after the disaster, most notably the International Convention for Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS), still govern and regulate safety on board merchant vessels around the world today.

Fort Victoria’s Commanding Officer, Captain Ian N Pilling, said, “The terrible loss of life on RMS Titanic resonated around the world 100 years ago today and the subsequent lessons learnt from the tragedy have been adopted by all the maritime countries. It is fitting and a privilege that the CMF Staff of CTF 151 gave their full support in participating in this small remembrance ceremony in respect of all who died on this day in 1912.”

Fort Victoria recently assumed the role of flagship for CTF 151 led by Rear Admiral Tanin Likitawong, Royal Thai Navy, with Thai command staff and representatives from the U.S., South Korean, Danish, Dutch and Italian navies. CTF 151 is a multi-national mission-based Task Force, working under the Combined Maritime Forces to conduct counter-piracy operations in the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Somali Basin and Arabian Sea.

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Naval Today Staff , April 26, 2012; Image: royalnavy